"Clementine! Are you certain about this?!"
Rosaria's voice trembled with unease as she stared at Clementine, whose eyes now burned with a fury she'd never seen before.
Her breath hitched; the tension in the air was heavy—thick with the scent of old blood and desperation.
The truth had just dawned on her, Ronovan was gone, abducted by Alira and her group.
"Are you still siding with that woman, Rosaria?!" screamed Rosalina, her twin sister, her tone sharp and volatile, laced with raw provocation.
Rosaria's gaze flicked toward Clementine. The girl no longer wore her usual clothes. Her hair—once tied up in spiral twin tails—was now let loose, cascading around her shoulders like a silken curtain. She wasn't the same anymore. She full of rampage in her chest.
Her aura pulsed differently. More primal. More... vampiric. She had entered Phase One.
Clementine knelt before the two of them, her voice low and hoarse.
"Sister... I have sinned. I allowed our elder to fall into enemy hands. I... I can only ask for your forgiveness."
Rosaria could see it clearly now—Clementine was shouldering the weight of leadership far heavier than she'd let on. The crown of command didn't sit gently on her head; it crushed her spirit, inch by inch.
The doors burst open.
Agusta entered in a swift motion, ducking under the frame to avoid slamming her massive horned head into the ceiling of Ronovan's chamber. Her presence, though usually grounded and firm, trembled slightly as she spoke.
"Are we going to attack?"
She rubbed the back of her neck anxiously, arms stiff at his sides.
Rosaria narrowed her eyes.
"If that monster-like man is still there… we won't win."
There was fear in Agusta's voice. It chilled Rosaria's spine.
Who could make someone like Agusta tremble like this?
Clementine let out a low chuckle. Her smile... something about it felt off—cruel even. It didn't reach her eyes.
"Lumino will never agree to war," she said, her tone sharp with irony.
Agusta crossed her arms tightly, her expression clouded. Rosalina, ever watchful, turned her gaze toward Rosaria.
Clementine stepped forward, her boots clicking against the polished floor. "All of you know of Lady Seraphine, don't you?"
Of course they did. Who didn't?
Lady Seraphine. The immortal witch. The one who had conquered time. Rumored to be at least three thousand years old.
Clementine's voice dropped to a near whisper, her next words slicing through the room like ice.
"That man… is drenched in her scent."
Rosaria's stomach twisted. Her mind flashed to the pale-skinned, silver-haired man with those sapphire eyes. His presence had been unsettling—unnatural. Now it made sense.
"Are you implying he's one of the *Four Honored Subordinates?" Rosalina asked, her voice incredulous.
Lady Seraphine's Four enigmatic figures whose faces remained hidden, but whose strength was said to rival Caroline the Cursed Witch. Even though people had once assumed Caroline was among them, her actions—interfering with mortal affairs, obliterating entire civilizations—marked her as a rogue.
Unlike Caroline, the Four were loyal. Unwavering. Their cores embedded with fragments of Seraphine's power, their scent unmistakable.
"No way. He's human, isn't he?" Agusta frowned, skeptical.
Rosaria cut in sharply.
"None of Seraphine's subordinates are human. They don't live long enough."
Clementine's eyes gleamed. "I don't think he's a horse… I think he's a queen."
Rosaria's heart skipped a beat. Rosalina inhaled sharply. Even Agusta stiffened.
"He's more important than we thought." Clementine's voice turned grave. "Which means... it's time. We must awaken Claudius."
"What?!" Rosalina's shout echoed through the room.
"That man is unstable! I won't let him destroy the mansion again. I'm tired of rebuilding it!"
A shadow moved across the hallway.
A figure emerged—blonde hair, crimson eyes glowing in the dim light. She was Lullaby, a high-ranking vampire aligned with Clementine.
"You're back," Clementine nodded. "How are preparations?"
Lullaby scoffed, her voice dry. "Idiot. Already done. All that's left is the ritual."
Rosaria folded her arms. "Once it's done, there's no turning back."
The air grew colder. The tension unbearable.
Clementine raised her hand, eyes fixed on the moonlight spilling through the window.
"Then let it begin… the Awakening of Fenrir."
----
"Hooaahm…"
"Wake up."
Rosaria opened the coffin with a sharp creak. Inside, Claudius lay dormant, looking far too peaceful. Beside her stood Lullaby, arms crossed, eyes already rolling.
"Wake up, damn it."
Without warning, Lullaby slapped Claudius across the cheek.
"Oww… your slaps are still as lovely and violent as ever, my dear," Claudius murmured groggily, his voice dripping with lazy amusement.
"Then stop sleeping."
Despite having slept for a hundred years, Claudius still looked tired—as if a century of rest hadn't been nearly enough.
But regardless of his drowsy appearance, his power was something they needed. Especially now. Especially for war.
"Why exactly have I been woken up?" Claudius asked mid-yawn, slowly stepping out of the upright coffin like it was just another morning.
"We're awakening Fenrir," Lullaby answered briskly.
"Whose idea?" he asked flatly. Claudius had a way of speaking in half-sentences.
"Clementine's," Rosaria cut in before Lullaby could reply.
"Still not tall, huh, Sis?" Claudius teased with a smirk.
Rosaria wanted to slap him. Hard. But she wasn't the violent sibling like Rosalina. She had a carefully crafted image to uphold—the good sister.
"Clementine's still as crazy as ever," Claudius muttered, stretching his arms with a groan. "So what triggered her this time?"
"War," Lullaby answered darkly. "We're going to war—with the werewolves. And a number of traitorous vampires."
"Wait, what? Traitorous vampires? Be more specific."
Lullaby's fist tightened, and she moved to punch him again—only for Claudius to catch her hand mid-air, his smirk widening.
"My love, you're getting more violent by the century."
"Don't act cute! Ozrik, Tivulin, Orcha, Derelia—and even Oscar—have defected! Maybe try not sleeping through an entire civil breakdown next time!"
"I see..."
Rosaria massaged her temples. Of course. This was just like Claudius—to stay utterly unfazed even in the middle of a betrayal-filled crisis.
"Claudius, I hate you," Lullaby muttered under her breath.
"Don't hate me, darling. Just tell me what you need me to do."
Lullaby grinned wide, revealing her gleaming fangs.
"Cause some chaos. Right in the heart of their base."
Claudius blinked.
"You mean… alone? Into the werewolves' den? Hm. Isn't that basically a death order?"
"Exactly."
No matter how you looked at it, this was insane. Was Clementine trying to draw attention away from something with this bold play? There were heavyweights there—Ozrik, Rodeo, Derelia, and possibly Terasvari.
Even if it was just a theory, Rosaria had a gut feeling—Terasvari was definitely among them.
Terasvari had separated from them and Ronovan a long time ago, long before the fall of humanity, and long before Ozrik's betrayal.
Still… Rosaria's instincts whispered: She's there.
"This is madness," she finally said out loud.
"If it's your command..."
Claudius gently took Lullaby's hand and kissed the back of it, his tone dripping with elegance.
"...Then I shall do it."
Bastard.
After that, they led Claudius to where Clementine waited—seated before an altar, a framed photo of Ronovan resting at its center like a relic.
Ronovan isn't even dead…
Claudius strolled in casually.
"I'm awake, Clementine. Heard you're planning to awaken Fenrir. Bold move, even for you. You do know Fenrir was killed by Ronovan, right? Think he'd approve of bringing back his mortal enemy?"
Clementine hushed him with a finger to her lips. "Ronovan is watching our every move… I believe he'd support this."
She spoke in a whisper, her voice almost eerily calm.
Claudius narrowed his eyes.
"Let me remind you—are you sure we can win this war?"
"You have to believe in it."
Clementine's voice brimmed with determination—and even from where Rosaria stood, she could see her eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.
"You're aware your Phase Two is dangerously unstable, right?" Claudius added, eyeing her carefully.
"Of course." Clementine smiled. A fearless, almost insane smile.
"Fine then. Count me in. But in return…" Claudius turned toward Lullaby and Rosaria.
"...you have to protect Lullaby and Big Sis Rosaria."
Why am I suddenly included?!
"Of course. Don't worry. And you… go do what only you can do."
"Alright." Claudius cracked his neck with a loud pop.
"Time to go berserk."
Fangs extended. His eyes glowed violently. He had entered Phase One.
"I'm off."
And with that, Claudius vanished in a blur of motion—so fast the air cracked behind him.
A moment later, Rosaria noticed a giant hole in the mansion wall.
"That shit head!!" Lullaby screamed in fury.
Hahaha…